Rough Waters
by frostburns
Summary: Haru never really wanted to see Rin again. But he couldn't keep running. Their relationship was anything but easy, but if it's the two of them, then he was sure they would find a way. (RinxHaru)


**A/N : A Rinharu fanfiction.**

**I don't own Free! just the story!**

* * *

He was currently in the tub, letting the warm water engulf his skin. A small toy dolphin bobbed up and down and seemed to stare at him. Without thinking, he reached his hand over to the small toy and gave it a gentle squeeze with his slim fingers. The toy gave a small squeak before returning to its normal stance in the water. With a long sigh, he ran his hands along his damp hair and tried to untangle the knots. It wasnt long before he gave up and let his head fall back into the water.

Once he was out, he cooked a small dinner of grilled mackerel and placed it on the table, then he sat in silence. He made sure to hurry eating. His house was in complete silence, it wasn't like this usually. His friends were usually over with him, but since he only ate mackerel, they had decided to eat out that day. His friends did not take much liking to his favourite food, unfortunately for him. Makoto, his best friend, offered to stay but he just shook his head and told him to run along with the others. He knew his best friend all too well, because he knew he would have stayed with him so he wasn't lonely.

That is why Makoto was his best friend.

He never minded being alone, he in fact, embraced his time in silence. So he ate, then he cleaned up and slipped outside. He took a seat on the porchsteps and watched the skies. He saw all kinds of colors. There were shades of red and orange, and the sky looked almost golden. He liked the color. It was getting darker so now, as he watched, the sky was turning into a shade of voilet. Then the colors seemed to vanish off and the sky was torn from the brilliant shades, and turned into a shade of dark black.

Then the stars took their places. Ecah one of them was bright and gallant, and they shone with such a radiance that he could not explain. Then he realized it was getting late, so he rose and mumbled to himself , "Until tomorrow." He went inside and went to his bed. But as he lay there he realized he wan't at all sleepy like he normaly would be.

Maybe it was because his friends weren't there to drain his energy by making him do silly stuff. He sighed and he knew he missed them that night. He missed Nagisa's constant chatter and laughter, he missed Rei's theories and outbursts of random things that made no sense to him, he missed Makoto's smiles and words, and he even missed Gou's constant staring. He missed them because those were the people who made him complete. He didn't know what he would without them by his side. He found himself tossing and turning, and he finally made the decision to get up.

He found his jacket and zipped it up, then he quietly went outside. The only thing that could be heard in the silence of the night was his light footsteps on the pavement. His pace was a slow jog.

He ran in silence, he could only hear his small puffs of breathe, then he stopped. Because he hadn't meant to end up where he currently was.

It was a run down building, it looked almost... haunted. His breath caught in his lungs and he bit down on his lips. He didn't know why he was there. But he did know that he had to get the hell out of there. But his legs stayed glued to the ground.

Memories flushed into his mind and tore into him like mad waves and flooded his mind.

He shook his head and closed his eyes.

Soon his thoughts were clear. Perfectly clear.

And only one thought was now in his mind. It refused to leave unnoticed.

**Rin.**

That one name tore open his heart. He bit down on his lip again, and this time he could taste blood. He needed to get out of sight from that dammed place.

_Iwatobi Swimming Club_

So he ran away. Away from there. He ran until he his legs ached and his lungs begged for a break. His body trembled and he desperately wanted to go home now. He wanted to curl up and lay in bed, and sleep. What was he doing out here?

He walked home. With the little strength he had left he undressed and climbed onto his soft, warm bed. He lay there, completely still.

Still haunted by the name.

Rin.

There it was again. His heart tugged and thrashed wildly against his chest.

Rin.

Rin.

Rin.

He almost cried. But he didn't. He never did, anyways.

Rin.

Rin.

Rin.

He let out a shaky breathe and demanded himself to close his eyes.

Rin.

Rin.

Rin.

His mind stayed awake as his body lay there limp.

Rin.

Rin.

Rin.

He was torn. How can one name hold so much power?

He needed sleep.

But as much as he tried to forget the name, his mind and heart wouldn't let him.

So with a small voice, in a tiny hushed whisper, he found himself saying the name he had never wanted to say again.

_"Rin."_

* * *

The next morning when he woke up, for the first time, he woke up late.

He never slept in. He quickly rose up and looked at the time. He had five minutes. And this morning, he had no time for a bath. He let out a long frustrated sigh, he always took a bath in the morning. Today was not going to be a very good day, he could already tell.

A knock sounded at his door, he knew it was Makoto. Hell, he still wasn't even dressed!

"Oi! Haru! I'm coming in!"

He rushed to get dressed and he fumbled with doing his tie, which never happened. With shaky fingers he pulled on his belt and ran his hands through his hair to make himself look presentable.

"Hey Haru," Makoto said automatically noticing that Haru was different this morning.

"Hey."

"Your hair isn't wet."

"I know."

"That means you didn't bathe."

He didn't bother to answer his friend.

"Have you ate breakfast?"

He quickly realized he did not eat breakfast . Then he realized he was hungry.

"Haru, are you okay?"

He said nothing.

"Oh, I hope you're not mad about yesterday-"

" I am not mad."

Makoto decided not to press on further.

He looked at the time and realized it was getting late, and school would start soon, he was about to go out the door when a hand stopped him. "You havent even ate breakfast, Haru!"

He just shrugged and tore away from his friends grip, then he slipped out the door, and Makoto tailed on behind.

* * *

He was daydreaming again. He wondered what it felt like to swim in the clouds. It must've been soft. He put that on his bucket list of things to do.

_Swim in the clouds._

He knew he should be paying attention, but he just couldn't bring himself too. He was sitting in the back, and to the side of him was Makoto, who only sat in the back because he was there. He knew Makoto well enough to know that he would have loved to sit in the front of the room, but just because of him, he didn't.

Afterschool Gou called them for a meeting. The group gathered. Rei, Nagisa, Makoto, and himself were there.

"I set up a joint practice with Samezuka Academy."

It was fine with him until Nagisa opened his stupid mouth.

"Hey isn't that where Rin goes!"

There it was again.

He froze.

He didn't want to see Rin again. He never wants too. Maybe he could make up an exscuse, he could say his stomach hurt...

_You're running from him_.

He balled his hands in fists and then came back to reality.

Everyone was staring at him. His breathe became ragged and he found himself getting rather lightheaded.

"So is that okay Haru-chan?" Gou asked.

"Dont call me chan," was all he said.

And as he was walking away he said , "I'll be there."

He knew he couldn't avoid him much longer, but oh how he wished he could.

* * *

"Hello Haru-_chan."_

Calm.

No words were able to leave his mouth.

"Did you miss me?"

He wanted to say no. But he couldn't.

"So you're in a swim club now huh?"

His sweet voice made his heart thrash wildly against his chest.

"Wanna race?"

He looked up to see deep ruby-red eyes staring at him, as if trying to see through him.

And he was surprised when he found the ability to talk again.

"Yes."

And as he made his way to the pool, there was only one thought in his fogged up mind.

**_I'm in deep._**

* * *

**A/N: Soooooooooo how was that? I am just going with the flow of this story! **

**R&R! **


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